Court officials confirmed that Banerjee’s appearance was to sign and submit a counter affidavit in response to a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Abhijit Das, who had contested against him in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Diamond Harbour. Several Trinamool lawyers greeted Banerjee at the court premises, with some even taking photographs with him before he departed.
Das had moved the Calcutta High Court last year, challenging the results of the Diamond Harbour constituency and alleging irregularities during the election. In the 2024 polls, Banerjee secured his third consecutive victory with 10,48,230 votes, while Das polled 3,37,300. The margin of 7,10,930 votes not only gave Banerjee a landslide win but also set a record in West Bengal for the highest margin of victory in that election.
The case gained renewed attention in April this year when the High Court directed the preservation of all election-related materials, including data, CCTV footage, and digital records from the constituency. The Election Commission and the district electoral officer were specifically instructed to maintain these records.
On August 19, the Calcutta High Court warned that an ex parte order could be passed against Banerjee if he failed to respond to the petition. While his legal team requested additional time, the court set August 28 as the final deadline for filing his reply. Monday’s court appearance was therefore crucial, as Banerjee formally filed his counter affidavit ahead of the deadline. The court has now scheduled the next hearing for September 4.
The issue has also taken on a political dimension in recent weeks. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Anurag Thakur alleged at a press conference that a large number of ineligible voters were included in Diamond Harbour’s rolls. Trinamool Congress countered this claim, stating that Banerjee’s representatives had visited Thakur’s residence with a pen drive reportedly containing video evidence and documents refuting the allegations. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari later echoed similar concerns, adding further weight to the opposition’s challenge.
With the matter once again active before the High Court and the assembly elections approaching, the political spotlight has returned sharply to Diamond Harbour. Banerjee’s massive 2024 victory margin remains both a point of pride for the Trinamool Congress and a source of dispute for his rivals, making the outcome of the legal proceedings significant for Bengal’s evolving political narrative.
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